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| (Screengrab from YouTube/ESPN5) |
The Philippine basketball scene has opened a new chapter in its history
with the successful inaugural season of the Chooks-To-Go Pilipinas 3x3 League with
Pasig Grindhouse Kings hailed as its first overall champion. But, that did not
stop there because the league's maiden voyage concluded with a historic moment
that defines the country's resilience and stand in the world basketball ranks -
the Chooks-To-Go 3x3 Asia Pacific Super Quest.
Twelve of the best 3x3 teams from various countries in the Asia Pacific
region have gathered at the Fashion Trade Hall of SM Megamall last April 6th
and 7th to compete in a FIBA-sanctioned Level 8 3x3 basketball thriller. Among
these teams are the Grindhouse Kings and the Chooks-To-Go Pilipinas 3x3 League
1st runner-up 1Bataan Risers which have already proven their worth and might
against some of the best 3x3 players in the region. After an intense weekend of
fun and action-packed street-esque mayhem, it all boiled down to a riveting
finals showdown between the 1Bataan Risers and Japan's DIME.EXE.
I wasn't able to watch the finals in full due to my own busy schedule,
but SportsCenter Philippines gave a rundown of what happened in the finals. Helmed
by Alvin Pasaol, the Risers have already put up a good baller brawl against the
Japanese players in the first half of the game but the ladder is already
catching up to them due to the efforts of Tomoyo Ochiai, Petar Perunovic and top Japanese 3x3
player Keita Suzuki. However, it was Masahiro Komatsu's buzzer-beater shot that
literally changed the game and led DIME.EXE to become the champions of the first
Asia Pacific Super Quest with the score 22-20 over the Risers.
On the other hand, the Grindhouse Kings helmed by the Philippines' top
3x3 player Joshua Manson were able to finish their Super Quest journey in third
place. Honestly, after everything that has happened over the past few months,
we should be proud of what these two top Filipino teams have accomplished since
the inception of the league. Now, the Pasig Grindhouse Kings and 1Bataan Risers
will represent Asia Pacific in the upcoming FIBA 3x3 World Tour Masters next
week in Doha, Qatar along with the Super Quest champion DIME.EXE and that is
something that we should look forward to while observing the Lenten season. And
in case you have missed everything, then check out ESPN5's official YouTube
channel and see it for yourself.
